Events
Sporting Events
Commercial intelligence & business impact
Commercial intelligence on sporting events shaping the industry—from Olympic Games and World Cups to league championships, emerging competitions, and the events driving brand visibility, athlete partnerships, product launches, media rights, and sporting goods demand.
THE BUSINESS OF THE BEAUTIFUL GAME: FIFA WORLD CUP 2026
US: sporting goods emerge as World Cup retail winner
Two months later, adidas, Fanatics and Foot Locker led a US sporting goods surge that outpaced every retail category.
Intersport’s WC summer campaign lifts jersey sales 73%
The retail cooperative’s Clubhouses in Berlin, Paris and Istanbul drew more than 1 million visitors during its FIFA World Cup summer campaign.
Puma posts smaller loss as turnaround strategy takes shape
Inventory is down 15.3 percent and free cash flow more than tripled, but PUMA does not expect a full recovery before 2027.
FIFA World Cup 2026: The Business of the Beautiful Game
How brands, retailers, and the sports economy compete on football's biggest stage.
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UTMB 2026: the access model and the backlash against it
Formula 1 sells the feeling of access. Paddock passes cost five figures. UTMB gives it free. In the street.
LIV enters bankruptcy, plans to restructure
LIV Golf has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US, entering a restructuring agreement with BC Partners Credit as Saudi Arabia’s PIF provides bridge financing and prepares to exit its multi-billion-dollar investment in the breakaway golf league.
K-Swiss secures ATP sponsorship
K-Swiss has signed a multi-year agreement to become the Official Footwear of the ATP, covering on-court officials, physical therapists and unsponsored players, while also developing a co-branded five-shoe collection for global retail.
Kalshi becomes US Open’s official prediction market
Rival prediction market platforms Kalshi and Polymarket have carved up professional tennis between them, with Kalshi securing exclusive rights at the US Open from 2026 and Polymarket already embedded in the ATP Tour. Questions remain over integrity, player safety and the sport’s commercial direction.
Triathlon body PTO signs Saudi public fund Sela
The deal starts with the Saudi Arabia T100 Triathlon and could extend to a revamped global tour World Triathlon plans for 2027.
Mondo deepens World Athletics tie for new event format
The Italian equipment group will brand landing systems, implement carts and supports for the new Ultimate Championship.
Four days to kill a $20bn plan, and sap FIFA’s leader
A failed bid to sell equity in FIFA’s commercial rights has triggered a leadership crisis at the organization.
ATHX picks New York to throw down its HYROX gauntlet
Backed by adidas, ATHX brings its hybrid fitness challenge to New York, a market where HYROX and PUMA still dominate.
US Open 2026: an essential brand guide
A breakdown of the sporting goods brands, athletes, rackets and product launches at the 2026 US Open.
Kushner, Iger to pay a reported $12.5bn for L.A. Lakers
Mark Walter has agreed to sell his majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger at a reported valuation of $12.5 billion – a figure that would set a new record for a US sports franchise sale and exceed Walter’s own purchase price by 25 percent in under a year.
Mossel Bay to host Ironman South Africa in 2027
The Ironman Group has confirmed Mossel Bay as the new home of its South African full-distance race, debuting in April 2027.
Prediction markets carve into the sports rights pie
Prediction markets are entering sports rights. Same package. New buyer.
adidas to kit out every team at Esports Cup
adidas becomes Official Kit Partner for the first Esports Nations Cup, outfitting 100+ national teams in Riyadh this November.
MLB, NHL sign prediction market deals amid legal fight
Polymarket and Kalshi have signed deals with MLB, the NHL and other leagues, each voidable if courts rule the contracts illegal.
Fanatics brings some financial plumbing in house
Better known for jerseys and memorabilia, Fanatics is acquiring the exchange and clearinghouse behind its prediction markets.
Marathon Tours launches Greek Odyssey Running Festival
The running travel operator’s new event pairs ancient landscapes with the Athens Marathon.
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Four days to kill a $20bn plan, and sap FIFA’s leader
A failed bid to sell equity in FIFA’s commercial rights has triggered a leadership crisis at the organization.
PUMA’s biggest World Cup kit roster in 20 years
The Herzogenaurach brand holds the deepest African kit portfolio at the tournament.
World Cup 2026 kicks off with a trilogy of opening shows
Mexico City goes first on June 11, followed by Toronto and Los Angeles, in a three-country opening ceremony series developed with Balich Wonder Studio.
Saudi Arabia’s sovereign fund buys into the World Cup
PIF’s FIFA World Cup deal extends Gulf capital’s grip on global football from club level to the sport’s biggest stage
NBA in talks with Kalshi and Polymarket
The NBA has entered formal talks with both Kalshi and Polymarket. Sources say a deal before next season is possible.
PSG has a new reason to stay in Paris
A Paris Council vote and a new mayor shift the Parc des Princes debate – putting a sale or long-term lease back on the table for PSG.
LaLiga posts record revenue, and Europe’s football hierarchy holds firm
Spain’s top football league posted its strongest financial season on record, driven by commercial income topping €1.5 billion for a third straight year.
FIFA announces $2.3m women’s club prize
The governing body unveils record-breaking prize money for the inaugural Women’s Champions Cup.
Another football tournament heads to Qatar
Qatar is negotiating with Fifa to stage the first Women’s Club World Cup in January 2028, according to The Guardian.
Adidas to sponsor Kings League
The seven-a-side league is starting to get attention from major brands.
RFEF might extend Saudi deal through 2034
The President of Spain’s Football Federation would like to see the Supercopa to be played in Saudi Arabia.
AliExpress first exclusive e-commerce partner of UEFA Euro 2024
AliExpress, the business-to-consumer online marketplace launched in 2010 by Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, has become the first e-commerce platform as an exclusive official global sponsor of UEFA Euro 2024 in Germany.
Running
Mossel Bay to host Ironman South Africa in 2027
The Ironman Group has confirmed Mossel Bay as the new home of its South African full-distance race, debuting in April 2027.
Marathon Tours launches Greek Odyssey Running Festival
The running travel operator’s new event pairs ancient landscapes with the Athens Marathon.
Saucony continues its campaign of invitation-only footraces
The invitation-only relay format, now staged in five cities, anchors Saucony’s record marketing investment as FY 2025 sales topped $533m.
NYRR races injected nearly $1bn into New York economy
The 2024 TCS New York City Marathon alone generated $692 million in incremental economic impact.
Triathlon & water sports
Triathlon body PTO signs Saudi public fund Sela
The deal starts with the Saudi Arabia T100 Triathlon and could extend to a revamped global tour World Triathlon plans for 2027.
Mossel Bay to host Ironman South Africa in 2027
The Ironman Group has confirmed Mossel Bay as the new home of its South African full-distance race, debuting in April 2027.
World Triathlon approves two new disciplines
Fitness Racing and Swimrun will now operate under the World Triathlon umbrella.
Supertri acquires Blenheim Palace and New Jersey State Triathlons
These events rank among the largest triathlons globally.
Ironman World Championships debuts in Oman
The partnership marks one of the biggest investments Oman has ever made into sports tourism.
Naples to host the America’s Cup in 2027
The America’s Cup is the world’s oldest international sports trophy.
Helly Hansen and The Ocean Race extend partnership
The Norwegian manufacturer and retailer has renewed a long-standing partnership.
First-ever Icelandic triathlete at Paris 2024
When Edda Hannesdóttir passes the triathlon finish line at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024, she will become the first Olympic triathlete from Iceland.
Local revenues up at this season’s Spain SailGP
According to Deloitte, as reported by Palco23, the “economic impact” of the most recent Spain Sail Grand Prix – event five of 13 in SailGP’s fourth season, held in Cádiz on Oct. 14–15 of last year – was 77 percent greater than the previous one. The catamaran race generated €93.7 ...
Golf
LIV enters bankruptcy, plans to restructure
LIV Golf has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US, entering a restructuring agreement with BC Partners Credit as Saudi Arabia’s PIF provides bridge financing and prepares to exit its multi-billion-dollar investment in the breakaway golf league.
PGA Tour announces two-series structure from 2028
Championship and Challenger Series start in 2028 with $20 million and $4 million purse floors and annual promotion and relegation.
LIV Golf funding crisis: season at risk
Saudi PIF confirmed it will end LIV funding after 2026. Now sources say payments may stop before the season does.
English Open golf tournament to return in 2026
DP World Tour and England Golf announce three-year plan to revive the English Open, beginning at The Vale Golf Club in June 2026.
Golf tour goes orbital with Amazon satellite deal
The DP World Tour will run on Amazon’s LEO satellite network at 42 tournaments — a claimed first for professional sport.
NBA in talks with Kalshi and Polymarket
The NBA has entered formal talks with both Kalshi and Polymarket. Sources say a deal before next season is possible.
Genesis Motor launches European amateur golf cup
The South Korean automaker extends its European golf strategy beyond the professional tour with a six-stop qualifying series culminating at the Genesis Scottish Open.
England Golf launches Titleist Women’s Four-Ball
New national competition gives women and girls at affiliated clubs a team pathway to a national final, backed by Titleist.
Other ball sports
Ultimate Sevens’ first ad won’t say what the sport is
Rugby sevens championship Ultimate Sevens never says what it is – only what it isn’t.
Under Armour loses WNBA footwear supplier status
Under Armour loses WNBA authorized supplier status for 2026, leaving players to tape over logos or compete in unbranded shoes.
Why Ultimate Sevens built its tech stack before its first match
Outsourcing the entire digital layer on day one reflects how new sports properties now compete for audiences and investors
Japan and France confirmed as FIBA World Cup hosts 2030, 2031
Tokyo stages the 2030 Women’s World Cup on the JBA’s centenary; Paris crowns France’s debut as Men’s World Cup host in 2031.
FanDuel Sports Network to wind down
Main Street Sports Group is preparing to close, leaving 13 NBA and seven NHL teams to rebuild local broadcast revenue from near zero.
EuroLeague’s new CEO is former NBA Europe VP
Former NBA Europe VP takes the helm as predecessor exits under cloud of alleged conflicts of interest and strained club relations.
NBA brings more games to the UAE
The extended partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi will also boost youth development and fan programs in the UAE capital and nearby areas.
NFL to expand into flag football
The National Football League will establish professional leagues for men’s and women’s flag football.
NBA to sell franchises in BAL
According to NBA Commissioner Silver, who cites the UN, 25 years from now 40 percent of the young will be living in Africa.
Euroleague Basketball picks former Amazon executive as Chief Digital Officer
Marta Álvarez Escudé will lead the organization’s digital and technology strategy.
Baseball’s push: From $12bn industry to Europe’s next growth market
Although baseball is still synonymous with American culture, it has become an economic global force.
Raquet sports
K-Swiss secures ATP sponsorship
K-Swiss has signed a multi-year agreement to become the Official Footwear of the ATP, covering on-court officials, physical therapists and unsponsored players, while also developing a co-branded five-shoe collection for global retail.
Kalshi becomes US Open’s official prediction market
Rival prediction market platforms Kalshi and Polymarket have carved up professional tennis between them, with Kalshi securing exclusive rights at the US Open from 2026 and Polymarket already embedded in the ATP Tour. Questions remain over integrity, player safety and the sport’s commercial direction.
US Open 2026: an essential brand guide
A breakdown of the sporting goods brands, athletes, rackets and product launches at the 2026 US Open.
Nox, Playtomic sponsor an MLP (guest) team
Spanish brands Nox and Playtomic have attached their names to Europe’s maiden Major League Pickleball guest team.
Padel earns medal status at South American Games
FIP adds South America to a continental multi-sport calendar that now spans four continents and six events by 2027.
Padel joins Asian Indoor Games 2026 as medal sport
The OCA adds padel to the Riyadh 2026 program, giving the sport back-to-back inclusions at major Asian multi-sport events in the same calendar year.
NBA in talks with Kalshi and Polymarket
The NBA has entered formal talks with both Kalshi and Polymarket. Sources say a deal before next season is possible.
Premier Padel makes UK debut in London
The elite padel circuit arrives in the UK for the first time, as Olympia hosts a P1-tier event amid surging British participation.
2027 European Games to include padel
The International Padel Federation confirms the racket sport will be a medal event in Istanbul next June, building its case for Olympic inclusion.
Federer does not rule out starting a 'Fedal Tour' with Nadal
The retired Swiss player revealed in an interview that he would not be against the idea of setting up a senior tour with his historic rival.
Fitness
ATHX picks New York to throw down its HYROX gauntlet
Backed by adidas, ATHX brings its hybrid fitness challenge to New York, a market where HYROX and PUMA still dominate.
Joma to sponsor Fetri’s Hyatlón, federation cousin to Hyrox
Puma’s exclusive Hyrox lock is pushing rival sponsors toward federations building their own version of the sport.
Technogym, World Athletics open RUN X registration
Fitness clubs, universities, hotels and corporate facilities can host qualifiers for the first World Treadmill Championship.
Kids join the race: Hyrox Youngstars goes permanent
One in five junior competitors in London had a parent racing the same weekend. Hyrox is making that a fixture.
CrossFit gets its HYROX with $15m Xenom launch
The $15m-backed series applies HYROX’s fixed-format, global-circuit model to CrossFit, opening in Texas in June 2026 with 11 events planned for Season 1.
World Triathlon approves two new disciplines
Fitness Racing and Swimrun will now operate under the World Triathlon umbrella.
Puma extends Hyrox partnership until 2030 as sport’s growth accelerates
Additionally, Puma is adding new elite athletes as the booming fitness race sport doubles participation.
Return to fitness through return to competition?
The Trump administration is reviving the Presidential Physical Fitness Test and Award for US schoolchildren.
850 German gyms offer free training sessions during European Week of Sport
Several fitness studios in Germany will offer free access from Sept. 23-30, 2024, as part of the “United Let’s Move!” campaign to encourage active lifestyles.
Winter sports
The new Olympic deal empowering athlete storytelling
A groundbreaking partnership between WFSGI, IOC and IPC is transforming how brands support athletes during the Games - when it matters most.
Odlo Time to Rise: a biathlete’s resilience story
Swiss performance brand follows Aita Gasparin’s return to elite competition after a three-year absence.
Italy unveils triathlon tourism project
Four major events across Italy aim to diversify tourist flows and showcase destinations beyond traditional routes.
Odlo to sponsor World Championship in biathlon and Team Swiss-Ski
Odlo supports Team Swiss-Ski at historic IBU Biathlon World Championships in Lenzerheide
Shaun White launches first-ever professional halfpipe league
Three-time Olympic gold medalist and entrepreneur Shaun White has announced the first professional winter sports league for snowboard and freeski halfpipe competitions called The Snow League, which will launch with its first event in the USA in early 2025. The announcement was made June 17 at Stagwell Sport Beach at ...
MIlano-Cortina Winter Olympics 2026
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